Dementia care system redesign: Canberra summit aims to fix broken process
A Canberra summit in February 2027 will design dementia navigators to help people access care.
Margaret MacDonald's husband Robert was diagnosed with dementia six years ago. The family struggled for at least two years to find help.
Even with Margaret's background in public policy, the system felt totally confusing. Now volunteers in Canberra are tackling the problem.
Led by former ACT Health chief Greg Fraser and healthcare professional Shelley Thomson, they are organising a Dementia Navigation Summit for February 9 and 10. It will be held at the University of Canberra.
The summit will bring together health experts, researchers and people with lived dementia experience. They will design a role called a dementia navigator.
These navigators would connect people with dementia and their carers to services at the right time and place. Fraser says dementia is Australia's leading cause of death.
About 446,500 people live with it nationally and 6,300 in the ACT. About $6 billion is spent annually on dementia care, yet the system remains confusing and overwhelming.
- 6,300
- People with dementia in ACT
- February 9 and 10, 2027
- Summit date
- 6 billion dollars
- Annual care spending
- At least 2 years
- Years to find help
Why it mattersDementia care is fragmented and hard to navigate; better coordination could improve outcomes for hundreds of thousands of Australians.
Australia450,000 Australians live with dementia; improved navigation could help them and their carers access care faster.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 d ago
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